


Meet at the Paints

by Soluvrly



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Barry is an art student, Fanon, Len is a gallery curator, M/M, Michael is Lisa's kid, pre-Barry/Len
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-28
Updated: 2016-11-28
Packaged: 2018-09-02 18:40:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8678971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soluvrly/pseuds/Soluvrly
Summary: Len has taken Michael to an art store to get some art supplies for his new art class and it leads to way more than he thought he would.





	

"Len," Michael started in a whisper, tugging on Len's parka sleeve, "I think he's crying.

"Who's crying?" Len asks, distracted trying to find the best pencils for Michael.

"That man," Michael answered, pointing across the store.

Len tore his glazed gaze from the coloured pencil display, who knew that there was such variety, they're pencils; to Michael and then to where he was pointing. Sure enough, there was  a man standing in the middle of the store in-front of a massive display of paints. And it did look like he was crying. Glancing at the counter where the shop assistants were, Len could see them snickering.

Sighing at how useless people were these days, Len guided Michael towards the kid.

"Are you alright?" Len asked, a few steps away. He didn't want to scare the kid. And he was a kid, tall and lanky, but attractive. And young, he had to be at least 18. Len could already hear Lisa's comments and snickering about him robbing the cradle.

The kid looks up from the paints and at Len. Len has to take a deep breath because if he thought the kid was attractive in profile, the whole package was desirable. A sharp, angular face, soft lips, hair that invites to be touched, and kind eyes. Letting out his breath, Len thinks he just stepped into one of Mick's romance stories.

"Yeah," the kid starts, blinking quickly to clear his eyes. "It's just..." the kid trails off and blushes. "I'm sorry, you don't want to hear about this."

"If I didn't, I would have stayed standing over there staring at pencils," Len retorted.

"Why do these have you in tears?" Len asked, gesturing to the table piled with boxes of paints.

"It's just," the kid starts, looking between the display and Len, taking a deep breath, the kid squeezes his eyes shut and answers, "It's just that these cost the same as my rent and I really want them. And I can't have them."

Taking another deep breath, the kid opens his eyes to see Len staring at him with an eyebrow raised and an assessing look.

"You're and artist?" Len finally asks, reassessing the kid again, looking him over head to toe. This time around Len notices all the paint splotches on the shoes and shirt but not on the jeans. When he makes eye contact again, he smirks at the kids blush.

"Uh... I guess," the kid stammers, playing with the small art kit in his hand. "I dabble a bit."

"Dabble?" a new voice joins in, from behind Len.

The kids eyes grow large as he glances around for the voice, before he sees Michael, hiding mostly behind Len.

Len's surprised at how quickly the kids demeanour changes as he kneels down to be eye level with Michael.

"A little more than dabble," the kid says with a huge smile on his face. "I'm going to art school."

"Really?" Michael says, getting excited and moving from behind Len. Once he's taken a few steps Michael freezes and back up a bit. "I'm not supposed to talk to strangers."

"That's right," the kid says, glancing quickly up at Len, "Stranger danger is a big thing." 

Len snorts at that, "stranger danger, really?"  
  
"Hey!" the kid protests, "Alliteration is cool."

Len makes an unimpressed noise as Michael giggles at the kid.

Looking back at Michael, the kid extends his hand, "Hi, I'm Barry. And you are?"

Looking up at Len who gave a nod, Michael took Barry's hand and shook his hand excitedly, "Hi! I'm Michael and this is my guncle, Len."

Len groaned at that introduction, while Barry glanced up at Len.

"Guncle?" Barry asked, confusion clear on his face and in his voice.

"Gay uncle," Len answered, "I'm going to have a long chat with Hartley." Len's tone made it clear that he was not pleased with this turn of events. 

Smiling, Barry blushed as he turned his attention back to Michael, "So, what brings you and your uncle here?"

"He's buying me pencils!" Michael answers, "I'm starting an art class at school."

"That's great!" Barry exclaims, holding his hand out for a high five that Michael returns, "What type of pencils?"

"Uhm," Michael starts, before looking up at Len.

"Pencils," Len answers, "I didn't know there was so much choice."

Laughing, Barry stands up, "Yeah, the choice can be overwhelming. I can..." Barry pauses, looking between Len and Michael, noticing Len raised an eyebrow waiting for Barry to finish his idea, "I can help you if you want."

Len looks over at the sales associates at the till, who are still gossiping. "If you don't have something else to do."

"Great!" Barry exclaims, a huge smile on his face, before he visibly calms himself down, "I, uh, no, I don't have anywhere to be. For now."

Smirking, Len steps back and gestures for Barry to lead the way. Who knew going to the art store would lead to this?

"So, Michael," Barry starts, walking over to the coloured pencils section, "What is the class about?"

"Uhm," Michael says again, looking back up at Len.

Rolling his yes, Len explains, "It's a beginners class for kids. It's an after school project for those with budding talent."

"It sounds like you're reading off a brochure," Barry comments looking at the pencil sets.

"Are you saying that Michael doesn't have talent?" Len shamelessly pulls Michael in-front of him and rests his hands on Michael's shoulders.

Barry turns around with large eyes, sputtering while trying to come up with something to say.

"Uncle Len," Michael protests, looking up at him, "Don't be mean. It's not nice, it's what you always tell me."

For a long moment, neither say or do anything before Barry bursts out laughing.

"Called out by your own nephew," Barry says, shaking his head. "That's cold."

"Teaching him right," Len answers. His teasing wasn't the best that time.

"Well, since this is a beginners class, you shouldn't need the expensive stuff," Barry starts holding out two sets of pencils. "These are the basic kits for starters. I don't know if you would want to go more contemporary abstract," Barry shakes the pencil set in his right hand, a 12 pencil neon set, "Or more realistic," shaking the other hand, a set of 12 primary colour pencils.

"Are those good?" Len asked, when Michael, again, looked at him for help.

"Yeah, they are artist quality. Affordable in the smaller sets, good for someone's first art program or their university program."

"Hmm," Len says, taking the cases from Barry and looking them over. After a minute, Len sets both of the cases back on the display before picking up the largest case of pencils. The full 150 pencil set.

"This is all the colours, yes?" Len asks, holding the large box out to Barry.

"Uh, no... Yes?" Barry answers, thrown for a loop. "But he wouldn't need or use that many colours."

"Why wouldn't he?" Len asks, "IT's an art class, aren't you supposed to use all the colours?

Barry stares at Len for a minute before grinning, "Use all the colours?"

Len huffs and rolls his eyes, "Yes, all the colours. Isn't that what you artists do?"

"well," Barry starts to say, before they are interrupted by Michael shoving a set into Len's stomach.

"This one," Michael says, looking up at Len. "Please."

Looking down, Len grabs the pencil set with his free hand, "All right, Picasso, need anything else?"

"Ehm," Michael thinks for a second, "No."

"Alright," Len says, looking back at Barry as he places the large pencil set back on the shelf.

The kid throws Len for a loop again as he looks back at him. Barry has bone back to being quiet and almost embarrassed.

Looking up, Barry smiles shyly at Len, "Well, glad I could help in some way."

"You helped in a lot of ways," Len says, looking for Michael, who's back over at the expensive paints. "Let me say thank you."

"You just did," Barry teases with a soft smile.

Len gives Barry a flat, unimpressed look, "More than that. Besides, knowing what is good art, I don't know a thing about how to make it."

"That doesn't make sense," Barry says, confusion all over his face.

Sticking his hand out, Len formally introduces himself, "Leonard Snart."

Swallowing, Barry takes Len's hand and slowly shakes, "As in The Rouges Gallery?"

Smirking, Len takes his hand back and slowly walks over to Michael, "Owner and curator."

"So, that's why you got upset then," Barry said quietly behind Len.

Now it was Len's turn to be confused, "What?"

"The brochure thing," Barry answered, picking at the label on the art kit in his hands, not looking up at Len.

"Oh," Len said, handing Michael the pencil set that he wanted before grabbing one of the boxes of the oil paints, "I was just teasing you. If I was upset, you'd be frozen out."

Michael spun around with a giant smile one his face, and asked, "Could we watch Frozen?"

"Sure, kid," Len answered, a soft smile on his face.

"Yes!" Michael exclaimed excitedly, spinning back around and running over to the counter where he placed the pencils, "I would like these, please."

The girl behind the counter cooed at Michael, "Aren't you just the cutest?"

"And this please," Len said, putting the paint set beside the pencils.

"Your son is so cute," the girl said. As she scanned the items, she didn't notice the tight smile on Len's face.

"Thanks," he answered, pulling out his wallet.

"That will be $752.23."

"Oh my god," Barry whispered behind Len as he paid.

"Thank you," Len said, taking the bag from the woman behind the counter. "Let's wait outside."

"Ok," Michael said as he and Len moved to the exit.

A few minutes later, Barry walked outside the shop and saw Len and Michael waiting outside.

"I thought you were kidding," Barry said, shocked that they were still there.

"What? That we would wait? Why would I joke about that?

Barry was only able to shrug at Len's question.

"Besides, Michael wants to say thank you and goodbye."

At hearing his name, Michael came over to stand beside Len, "Thank you Barry for your help."

"You're very welcome Michael, maybe one day I'll see your art around."

Michael shrugged at that before waving at Barry, "Bye Barry, see you around." Michael then turned and climbed into the back seat of the SUV that Len was leaning against.

"Same little guy," Barry said, as Michael climbed into the car.

"I think you might," Len says, holding out the bag he had to Barry.

"What's this?" Barry asked, taking the bag and looking into it. Seeing the paint set, Barry looked up at Len in shock. "I can't take this. This is..."

"A thank you. The people inside were beyond useless and you wanted them. It's fine."

"I really can't. I can't pay you back for it."

"Did I say you needed too?" Len asked, tilting his head.

"Len," Barry was exasperated with the argument they were having, "This was $650."

"And?"

"I'm a stranger!" Barry yelled at him.

"No, you are Barry, art student, starving artist, cute, and great with kids."

Barry froze at what Len had said and replayed what he said. "You think I'm cute?" he asked, there were other things in there he should have picked up on, but that was what stood out.

Len sighed, that was not something he wanted to say. This kid had to be 12. What was he doing?

"Yes, but if the paint is too much, just paint me something then."

Blushing bright red, Barry stammered for a minute, "Ok, I can do that. But I..." he paused before he rushed out, "I don't have your number."

Smirking, Len crossed his arm and leaned back against the front of his car. "Why Scarlet, are you asking me for my number?"

Taking a breath, Barry looked up and looked Len right in the eye and nodded his head. He couldn't trust his voice at this point.

Reaching into his parka, Len pulled out a business card and held it out for Barry to take, "Now you do. See ya around, Scarlet."

Barry reached out and took Len's card and watched as he sauntered to the driver seat. "Yeah, see ya around."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. I'm hoping to get back into writing on my stories with this one. Hope you enjoyed it.


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